Sixers to reopen practice facility for voluntary, individual workouts after Gov. Murphy says pro sports teams in N.J. ‘can return to training and competition’
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has announced that the state is open to all professional sports teams in the United States who want to resume action amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 76ers will open their practice facility in Camden on Wednesday for voluntary, individual workouts.
NBA practice facilities started to reopen for individual on-court workouts on May 8 in some cities. But the Sixers were not among the teams permitted to unlock their gym doors at the time, as only teams in cities and states in which local governments had eased pandemic restrictions were allowed to reopen.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that all professional sports teams in the state can return to training and competition “if their leagues choose to move in that direction.”
The Flyers also practice in South Jersey, in Voorhees.
“I recognize that, obviously, not all of our sports are back,” Murphy said Tuesday during his news conference. "And we continue our work with all of our stakeholders, including if not especially youth sports leagues, to hopefully see their resumption in the near future.
“But where professional teams are concerned, and with the facilities and resources they have to meet the demands of public health, we felt we could take that step forward.”
The reopening allows teams to make their practice facilities available to players for individual on-court workouts. No more than four players will be permitted at a facility at any time. Teams are allowed to designate a total of six assistant coaches or player-development personnel to supervise the individual workouts.
Like the players, no more than four assistants or player-development personnel can be in the facilities at the same time. But only one assistant or player-development personnel can work out a player at a time.
Head coaches are still prohibited from participating in any way.
Group practices and scrimmages are prohibited, and the players are not allowed to use non-team facilities — public gyms, fitness centers, or health clubs — to stay in shape.
All NBA players -- regardless of team affiliation -- who live close to soon-to-reopen practice facilities are welcome to work out there.
As of last week, 17 of the league’s 30 teams allowed players to start working out at the team facilities.
The NBA shut down the season on March 11 and practice facilities were closed on March 20. The league is having serious discussion The Walt Disney Company about resuming the 2019-20 season in late July at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., as a single site to host games without fans.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league owners will discuss the resumption plans during this upcoming Friday’s board of governors meeting.
On Friday, Murphy signed an executive order increasing the capacity limit to outdoor recreational gatherings fro 10 to 25 people. The limit on indoor gatherings remains at 10 people.
Also, acting Security of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said the United States will exempt some foreign athletes who compete in professional sporting events in the United States from the entry bans imposed due to the pandemic. The NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, NHL, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, ATP, and WTA are covered by the exemption.